Automatic control mechanism for rolling doors



March '10, 1931. w. GRAYSTONE TIC CONTROL MECHANISM FOR ROLLING DOORSFiled Oct. 4, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet l \AUTOMA March 10, 1931 w. GRAYSTONEAUTOMATIC CONTROL MECHANISM FOR ROLLING DOORS Filed Oct. 4, 1927 5Sheets-Sheet 2 March 10, 1931. w. GRAYSTONE AUTOMATIC CONTROL MECHANISMFOR ROLLING DOORS Filed Oct. 4, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 CDC) gwuento'o Ifred araysi'one,

March 10, 1931. w, GRAYSTONE 1,795,390

AUTOMATIC CONTROL MECHANISM FOR ROLLING DOORS Filed Oct. 4, 1927 5Sheets-Sheet 4 TVZ gfred Grays-forte W/r/vsssss:-

March 10, 1931- w. GRAYSTONE AUTOMATIC CONTROL MECHANISM FOR ROLLINGDOORS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 4, 1927 WIIIIIIIIIIII 'orfixed droplever, hasbeen experienced,

Patented Mar. 10, 1931 WILFRED GRAYSTONE, OF PRESTON, OHTARIO, CANADA;ASSEGNOR TO'EAS'IERNSTEEL PRODUCTS LIIsEITED, OF PRESTON, CANADA, ACORPORATION OF CANADA AUTOMATIC CONTROL MECHANISM FOR ROLLING DOORSApplication filed October 4,

lhis invention relates to rolling doors of the type made of steel,copper, bronze or the like and which operate with a curtain action undernormal conditions ofuse and which are adapted to be automaticallyoperated in an emergency such as the occurrence of afire.

A primary object of the invention isto provide a novel automatic controlmechanlsm for closing the door or compelling downward movement of thecurtainto meet the existing emergency. In that connection, it isproposed to provide a construction which may be readily manipulated andset at the time of the original installation or subsequently re- 1 setafter it has performed in an emergency.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel construction forcausing the unwinding of the curtain to close the opening or doorway inthe event of fire. That is to say, it is proposed to provide a novelclosing unit including a centrifugal clutch construction which whenreleased for action will positively and quickly start the unwinding ofthe curtain in an uncoiling direction to force the same downwardlywithout manual attention.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel restraining unitincluding a drop lever and means for positively forcing or compellingthe drop lever to function under emergency conditions, thereby avoidingfailure and providing a device which isreliable and eflicient under allconditions of use. In that connection, it is also a distinctive featureof the restraining unit that the same may be set in position, that isheld in a suspended or operative position, by a chain including fusiblelinks, and'yet permit the adjusting or tensioning of the springretaining wheel to be accomplished with ease and facility. Heretofore,in connection with the standard considerable difliculty one man usuallybeing required to adjust the tension and another being required tomanipulate the lever, but

1927. Serial No. 224,000.

' with the type of construction provided herein one man can do all ofthe setting and adjusting without endangering his hands or breakingcastings as frequently happens under the present practice. f

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which t Figure 1' is a side elevation of therighthand end of aroller curtain equipped with the present automaticcontrol device. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the opposite end of thehousing and illustrates the means for tensioning the curtaincountenbalancing or service spring.

Figure 3 is a detail vertical sectional View of the spring housingbarrel.

F ignre 4 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional View taken on theline 4-i of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail edge view of the cen trifugal clutch wheel.

Figure 6 is a detail elevation of the ball retaining lever, the samebeing taken .at right angles to Figure 1 and illustrating the manner inwhich the drop lever is initially thrust downwardly.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail cross-sectional view of the housing andcurtain and illustrates the manner in which the curtain is affixed tothe roller drum.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view of the bottom barof the curtain.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a portion of the curtain illustratingthe manner in which the sections interlocked. V

Figure 10 is a detail front elevation of a portion of the curtainshowing the endlocks connected to'the end of slats to avoid lateralmovement;

Figure 11 is a detail horizontalcross sectional view taken on the line1111 of Fig. 1.

Figure 12 is a side elevation illustrating the application of the novelrestraining unit to a modified construction.

S milar refe ence characters designate cordoorway or responding partsthroughout the several figures of the drawings.

The present invention includes in its organization a suitable housingdesignated gen erally as H adapted to be mounted above the other openingand receiving therein the fieiz'ble metallic curtain C which is wound orreeled about a drum D mounted in any suitable manner on a spring housingbarrel or tube E.

Figure 1 of the drawings illustrates the novel automatic controllingmeans arranged at the right-hand end of the housing H and Figure 2illustrates the mean for adjusting the counter-balancing or servicespring for the curtain located at the left-hand end of the housing. Inorder to arrive at a more complete understanding of the automaticcontrol unit and its functions, reference will first be made to 3 of thedrawings which shows the spring barrel assembly including the servicespring designated generally as S and an auxiliary spring S operating inconjunction with the automatic closing mechan ism to force the curtaindownwardly in an emergency. lhe spring barrel B is rotatably mounted ona main shaft 1 and an auxiliary shaft 2 which are adapted to operateinde pendently of each other, the said shafts supporting the barrelthrough the medium of the end plugs 3 and 4 and the intermediate idlerbearing 5. The portion of the shaft 1 which projects beyond the plug 3rests in a suitable bearing 3 formed in supporting bracket and carriestherewith at its outer end a service-spring tensioning wheel 6 which iskeyed to the shaft as indicated at 7 This wheel 6 is provided with aplurality of radial sockets 8 which, in installing the device, areadapted to receive a suitable lever to assist in rotating the shaft andthen after the desired tension has been placed on the spring S, one ofsaid sockets is adapted to receive a lug 9 passing through an eye 9caston the housing ll thereby to anchor the servicespring tensioningwheel 6 in its adjusted position. When the service spring has beenadjusted, the shaft 1 is fixed by the wheel 6 being locked and istherefore stationary for all future purposes of the operation of thedevice, its primary function being to assist in tensioning the servicespring to counter balance the weight of the curtain on the barrel. andto permit of the normal operation of the curtain.

RBZEGIT Ag further to the service spring S it will be observed that theend 10 thereof (Fig. 3) is fastened. in a block 11 which is keyed to theshaft 1 as indicated at 12 while the opposite end 13 of the spring issecured by a suitable fastening 1 to an anchoring collar 15 which inturn is secured to the barrel by the fastenings 16. It will thus beapparent that by rotating the spring retaining wheel 6, that he shaft 1will cause the spring S to be coiled to balance the weight of thecurtain imposed on the barrel.

T he main or service spring shaft 1 projects through the intermediatebearing 5 and has an auxiliary spring socket member 17 secured theretoby means of the key 18. This socket member receives the end of theauxiliary spring shaft 2 providing an inner beaii therefor, an. at thesame time con L stitutes a point of ancho age for the end 19 of theauxiliary spring S. The opposite end of this spring is fitted in a block20 which is keyed to the shaft 2 as indicated at 21 so that theauxiliary shaft 2 may be operated independently of the shaft 1 totension the spring S.

The end plug .t which receives the shaft 2 is so ured to the barrel B bythe fastenings a .d is provided with an Xtension or sleeve which isformed with a shoulder 23 adaptto cooperate with a thrust bearingconstruction designated generally as 24 and mounted in the bracket 4;".The auxiliary shaft 2 passes through the extension or sleeve portion 22of the plug 4 and has mounted on its outer end an auxiliary springretaining and tensioning wheel 25 which is, like the wheel 6, providedwith a plurality of radial sockets 26, and is made fast on the shaft 2by the key 27. This spring tensioning wheel is adapted to cooperate witha centrifugal clutch dish 28 that is loosely mounted on the shaft 2between the end of the sleeve 22 and the wheel 25. The outer face of thedisk 28 is provided with the laterally ofiset perforated cars 29 adaptedto receive retaining pins or lugs 30 which enter the sockets 26 therebyto lock the spring tensioning wheel 25 and the centrifugal clutch disktogether after the said wheel has been rotated to cause the shaft 2 toproperly wind up the auxiliary spring S.

The inside face of the centrifugal clutch disk 28 is provided with apawl 31 which is pittally supported as indicated at 32 within a pawlhousing 33 (Figs. 5 and 11) thereby to provide a strong and substantialmounting for the pawl which will not only insure accuracy of operationbut also prevent accidental breakage. T his pawl normally hangs in anidle or inoperative position as shown in Fig. 1 so that it will clearthe inside knurled or equivalent portion 3 1 of a so-called impetus drum35 which is keyed as indi ated at 36 to the hub portion of the extensonor sleeve 22 of the endplug 4. It will thus be apparent that the saidimpetus drum is rigidly keyed or affixed to the plug 1 which in turn issecured to the barrel so that when the pawl 31 carried by thecentrifugal clutch disk couples the unit consisting of the springtensioning wheel 25 and clutch disk 28 with the drum, the force of theauxiliary spring S may be imparted directly to the barrel B to cause thecurtain to. be unwound or let down tensioning the auxiliary spring Sthrough the medium of the auxiliary shaft 2 so that after the wheel hascompleted its spring tensio-ning function it may be locked with thecentrifugal clutch dlsk thereby to make the wheels 25 and 28, in effect,a unitary construction. It is essential, however, to have the clutchdisk 28 normally free or loose on the shaft 2 until after the springtensioning wheel has wound up the auxiliary spring S". They may then beconnected, so that upon the occurrence of an emergency, the clutch disk28 may be released to force the pawl 31 quick ly into engagement withthe drum 35 and cause the drum to unroll the curtain C.

A distinctive feature of the invention resides in the provision of novelmeans for restraining the centrifugal clutch disk 28 after it has beenlocked with the tensioning wheel 25, and to that end, in the form'of theinvention shown in Figs. 1 and 4 for example, the periphery of the wheel28 is provided with the radially projecting stop lugs or abutments 37and 38. These lugs are adapted to cooperate" with a retaining pawl ordetent 39 which is pivotally supported as indicated at 40 in a droplever 41. This drop lever is mounted on a bolt or equivalent support 42fitted to one end of the housing H so that it may readily swing downwardto carry the detent 39 out of the path of lugs 37 and 38 when anemergency arises to release the unit comprising the wheel 25 and disk28. i

The forward end 43 of the drop lever 41 is adapted to be engaged andsupported by a novel ball retaining lever designated generally as 44(see Fig. 6); This lever is pivotally supported as shown at 45 in abracket 46 carried by the housing H and is provided radially to the axisof the pivot 45 with a cam projection 47 which over-hangs or overliesthe upper side of the portion 43 of the drop lever, and is also providedwith an inclined arm portion 48 which engages beneath and supports thebeveled underside of the front end of the drop lever 41. Thus, the end43 of the drop lever is substantially embraced on opposite sides byportions of the ball retaining lever 44.

Referring further to the ball retaining lever, it will be observed thatthe same is provided with a socket 49 for receiving an arm 50 adapted tocarry a ball weight 51. This ball weight is held normally suspendedthrough the mediumof achain or its equivalent 52 which is provided withfusible link portions 53 adapted to be melied'and part under apredetermined degree of heat to re lease the ball weight and thus permitthe lever 44 to drop and positively force the drop lever 43 downwardlythrough the medium of the cam 47.

The provision of the cam 47 for positively forcing the drop lever 41downwardly, is an importantfeature of theinvention since it guardsagainst the drop lever being stuck or held by paint, rust, corrosion orother conditions which if not offset or guarded against would cause thefailure of the device to function in the emergency for which it wasintended to be responsive. I r

Another feature of the restraining means which includes the drop lever41 and the ball lever 44 just referred to, resides in c011 nection withthe pivoted detent 39 which permits of adjusting the tension of spring Sthrough the cooperation of the lugs or abutnients 37 and 38 withoutlowering the drop lever when it is heldsuspended by the chain 52 duringthe resetting operation. That is to say, in this type of constructionthe abutment 37 is intended for holding the centrifugal clutch disk 28in its charged or tensioned position while the stop or abutment 38 isintended. for resetting purposes only.

When the automatic releasing mechanism has moved the curtain downwardlyand it is desired to reset the same, the drop lever 41 and the ballretaining lever 44 are resetwith a new chain containing fusible links.The curtain C whlch is'then down is raised from the floor to the lintelrapidly, taking care that during this operation the curtain has nobackward action whatever. During this operation the pawl 31 on the disk28 is in contact withv the drum 35 and it necessarily follows that sincethese two parts are in effect one unit, and the spring plug or block 17is attached to the service spring shaft 1 which is stationary, theraising of the door to the lintel will rewind the auxiliary spring Swith the asistance of the detent 39 on the drop lever 41 which permitsthe abutments on the disk 28 to pass. When the door has reached thelintel the abutment 38 is held in contact with the pivoted detent 39.This therefore holds the pawl 31 at an angle of 22 degrees and it isthen ready for the coiling action of the door. Then to set the door atnormal it is necessary to pull down the curtain about a I springtensioning wheel is designated as 55 and is provided with a plurality ofradial sockets 56 alternating with peripherally off set abutments orratchet lugs 57, which are adapted to engage with the pivoted detent 58by the drop lever 59. This drop pivotally supported as at 60 and is heldin its normal set position by the ballweighted lever 61 carryin theweight (32. The action and operation of the lever 61 and drop lever 59is the same as described in connection with the drop lever ll and itsretaini ever is, the weighted end 62 of the lever 61 being held in itsnormal set position by a chain containing fusible links which areadapted to melt and part under abnormal heat conditions. The advantagethat the lever has over a standard or fixed lever is that the 'tvityoperated detent or rocker 58 is s is holding the wheel 55 in normalcarried lever is nown position, and tension can be put on the spring byinserting a rod or toggle in any of the cored holes or sockets 56pulling the wheel 55 in an anti-clockwise direction wherex upon theprojections 51 will merely trail over the gravity detent 58 with aratchet action. "When the toggle is removed from the wheel the tooth orprojection which on goment with the nose of the pawl 58 NLJ hold theentire wheel in its proper set position.

Another advantage is that tension can be released very easily byinserting a rod or toggle in one of the sockets 56 and moving the wheelanti-clockwise just far enough to release the pressure of the teeth 5'?on the end of the detent 58, and then the operator can place his fingeron the tail of the detent and move the same to the dotted lineposit-ion, thereby permitting the desired number of teeth to pass thedetent while it is (lQQTGSSQQl. When sufficient tension has beenreleased, the detent 58 may also be released and caused to engage one ofthe teeth 57.

The foregoing has the advantage of per mittin g the entire restrainingmeans to be set and then the tension wheel operated by one man withoutendangering his person or without danger of breaking any of themechanical parts. This arrangei nt therefore provides construction whichis not only safe for the operator but safe for the mechanism.

From the foregoin description it will be apparent that the novel anddistinctive features of the present invention reside in the provision ofthe centrifugal clutch disk 28 having the pawl 31 operating conjunctionwith the drum 35 which provides, when desired, means for adjusting otheroperating connections such as a chain or an electrical drive, therebyadapting the present construction to a wide range of use. Anotherfeature resides in the provision of the pivoted detent on the leverwhich has the advantages heretofore pointed out.

Without further description is thought that the features and advantagesof the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art,and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportionand minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departingfrom the spirit ofthe invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. An automatic releasing mechanism for rolling doors includinga balanced door supporting member, a shaft journaled in said member, aspring for tensioning said shaft, adrum keyed to the door supportingmemher, a centrifugal clutch disk loose on the shaft and carrying a pawladapted to engage with said drum, a spring tensioning and retainingwheel keyed to the shaft and adapted to be locked to the centrifugalclutch disk, and restraining means for releasably engaging the saiddisk.

2. An automatic releasing mechanism for rolling doors including abalanced door supporting member, a drum having an interior pawl engagingsurface and carried by the door supporting member, a shaft journaled thebalanced door supporting member, a L .ring for tensioning said shaft, acentrifuclutch disk loosely mounted on the shaft, pawl carried by saiddisk and adapted to engage the inside pawl face of the drum, a springtensioning wheel keyed to the shaft and having peripheral tool engagingportions, means for coupling the centrifugal clutch disk to the springtensioning wheel,

an abutment on the centrifugal clutch disk,

and restraining means releasably engaging said abutment.

3. An automatic releasing mechanism for rolling doors including abalanced door supporting member, a shaft journaled in said member, adrum keyed to rotate with said member, a centrifugal clutch disk looselymounted on the shaft and carrying a clutch pawl adapted to engage withsaid drum, perfora-ted ears projecting from a face of the said clutchdisk, a spring tensioning wheel keyed to the shaft, and having aplurality of radially disposed socket members, fastenings for couplingsaid perforated ears of the clutch disk to the registering socketmembers on the spring retaining wheel, an abutment carried by the clutchdisk, and restraining means for releasably engaging said abutment.

l. An automatic releasing mechanism for rolling doors including abalanced door supporting member, a shaft journaled in said member, aspring for tensioning said shaft, a spring tensioning and retainingwheel keyed to the shaft, and a clutch device between said wheel and thebalanced door supporting member, said clutch device comprisa clutch discloose on the shaft and adapted to be connected with said wheel, and adrum carried by the balanced door supporting member and adapted to beoperatively engaged with said clutch disc.

5. An automatic releasing mechanism for rolling doors including abalanced door supporting member, a shaft journaled in said member,aspring for tensioning said shaft, a

spring tensioning and retaining Wheel keyed to the shaft, and a clutchdevice between said Wheel and the balanced door supporting member, saidclutch device comprising a clutch disc loosely mounted on the shaft andcarrying a pawl on one face thereof, means for connecting said clutchdisc With said Wheel, a drum carriedby the door supporting member andhaving an interior surface :1 adapted to be engaged by said pawl on theclutch disc, and means for restraining the operation of said Wheel.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affiX my signature.

2r WILFRED GRAYSTONE:

